Work Text:
Virgil doesn’t know when it changed. It must have, at some point. Because once upon a time he was loved. And he loved. But slowly something changed.
It was something in his boyfriend’s expression, in the way his arms tensed, in the furrow of his brow. Slowly, inextricably they tumbled towards something… else. And Virgil knew that they wouldn’t survive the fall.
He sat in a café, idly swirling a cup of coffee round and round on the saucer. He should go home but… well, home was difficult. A coffee shop was easy.
Until someone plopped down in front of him. Virgil looked up and scowled. It was a twenty something year old wearing a dark jacket and sunglasses. It was the middle of winter. Why the fuck was he wearing sunglasses in winter?
“Hey coffee bean.” The man said, sipping at his coffee. Virgil grunted softly and stared down at his cup. “So, how long has he been hitting you?”
Virgil nearly choked on his own saliva as he stared up at the man. He touched his eye and frowned as he felt the makeup still there.
“How- how did you-”
“Educated guess, coffee bean.” The man took a sip of his coffee and sighed. “So?”
“He doesn’t mean to.” Virgil whispered. “It was an accident.”
“How many times can an accident happen? I’m Remy by the way.”
Virgil stared at his hands and frowned at the words. How many times could an accident happen?
“He’s not abusive. He’s… he gets angry. That’s all.”
“And you get in the way?” Remy raised an eyebrow and stared at Virgil. “You do realise that’s not how it works, right? You don’t just hit people cause they’re in the way.”
“He was hurt as a kid.”
“Tough luck for him. Doesn’t mean he can be an ass to you.”
“Who even are you?” Virgil spat out. “I don’t know you!”
“Like I said, Remy.” Remy sat back and sighed. “Five years on from where you are. Listen, coffee bean, when he starts hitting you he doesn’t stop. It only gets worse. Goes to restrictions. Cutting. Taking away your freedoms one by one until you’re half dead and wanna die anyway. Get yourself outta there.”
“I… that isn’t… really an option for me.” Virgil murmured. “My parents… gay isn’t…”
“Here.” Remy slid a piece of paper across the table. “They listen. Don’t judge. They can help.”
Virgil stared down at the card and swallowed thickly.
“I love him.” He whispered. Remy sighed and shook his head.
“You love the thought of him. You love the man he used to be. Save yourself, coffee bean. He ain’t ever gonna be that man again.”